


Written in the Scars (of our hearts)

by Mercury32



Category: Doom (2005)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, F/M, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Twincest
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-09-26
Updated: 2017-07-25
Packaged: 2018-04-23 11:35:03
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 17,370
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4875310
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mercury32/pseuds/Mercury32
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sam had always known that John had a soulmate, but knowing and meeting her were two very different things.  As if being on the run from a multi-national company that wants them dead wasn't enough for them to deal with.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

With a few notable exceptions that had all happened sometime over the last ten years, every time something even remotely interesting happened involving their soulmarks, John and Sam had been together. Sam had been there when Johns' appeared on his forearm, although she wasn't certain that counted since they'd both been born with their marks.

As a toddler, John wanted them to have matching ones (everything else they had was the same, the same toys and teddy bears just colour coded in shades of blue and pink and green and purple) so he drew a scribble on his hip and one on her forearm. It lasted until bath time, when their mother noticed and scrubbed until their skin was raw.

Sam had eavesdropped on a very entertaining conversation when John was four and wanted to know what 'illegal' meant. Their father had sat down with him and tried to give the best age appropriate explanation he could, but it had been pretty distressing for a little boy who's only frame of reference at that point were Disney-Pixar movies. He would've been even more distressed if he'd known that his father had spent the entire conversation trying not to laugh or that Samantha would get years of mileage out of it.

John had been there when Sam was fourteen and one of the guys in her study group tried to trick her into thinking he was her soulmate. Brenton had set up some sort of elaborate plot involving a fake soulmark done with henna and used it to try and convince her to sleep with him. Much more alert than he gave her credit for, Sam had put her foot down and insisted she wasn’t ready and a few more years wouldn’t make that much difference anyway. It turned ugly and John had earned a trip to the emergency room for his part in it. Even though Sam wasn’t exactly surprised, she was never able to find the words to tell John just how much it meant to her that he’d taken on a guy almost a decade older than them for her.

At sixteen, things started to change between them. The way John looked at her when he thought nobody was paying attention. The way Sam's heart skipped a beat when she caught him at it. The way she started looking back and the realization that she liked what she saw. The casual touches that became more lingering and gentle when they were alone. 

When she felt an intense and possibly slightly violent stab of jealousy at seeing John laughing and looking cozy with a classmate, Sam knew that she'd moved from wanting a soulmate that was like John, to just flat out wanting him. She couldn't help herself. “Who's the blonde?”

“Classmate and potential study buddy.” He replied briefly, highlighting a section in his textbook. “Why?” 

“If you think she's interested in anything other than your notes, you're an idiot.” Sam informed him tartly. John looked up sharply and studied her for a moment. “Jealous Samantha?”

“Jealous that I don’t have some horny idiot to take advantage of, maybe.” Her stomach clenched unpleasantly for a moment under his close scrutiny and then unexpectedly, John's face relaxed and a slow grin spread across his face. Sam knew she hadn't managed to fool him, but she didn't think it was a bad thing, considering that he was looking at her as though she was something precious and amazing her entire universe shifted slightly and Sam knew in that instant that nothing in her world would ever be the same again. “Oh shit.”

His grin just grew wider as he squeezed her hand. “This is going to be amazing.”

John had been there when Sam was accepted for the internship with UAC that she hadn’t told him she’d applied for. That was when it stopped being amazing and the fight that followed wounded them both so deeply that neither of them thought they’d ever heal.

(She hadn't been there when he'd gotten his words covered up for good with the tattoo, but Sam could still remember the way her belly had flip flopped when he'd emailed her a photo of the finished product and the short note that went with it saying that his destiny was his own. She'd understood what he'd really meant and she could never figure out if she was thrilled or sickened that he had been serious when he'd said he would turn away his soulmate for her.)

So it figured that Sam was there the day John met his soulmate.

Logically, Sam had always known that somewhere out there John had a soulmate and that the two of them would meet. But seeing the words printed neatly below his elbow – even with the tattoo covering them, she could still trace the path along his skin – and hearing their shocked server gasp 'Isn't that illegal?” was another.

“Only if you get caught sweetheart.” John didn't miss a beat. Sam didn't move – couldn't move, but John didn't seem to react at all. Vaguely, she realized that he'd been preparing for this for years and it was only that she knew him as well as she did that she saw him react at all. There was the slightest twitch of his jaw, his fingers tightened almost imperceptibly around his glass and she sensed, rather than saw him tense. 

The server – Lillianna her name tag read - dropped her tray and stared at him, mouth open. Her fingers scrabbled at the hem of her shirt and she flicked open the bottom two buttons and pulled them apart to reveal John's untidy scrawl just below her navel. “Look, I don't care what you're doing – as long as it's not too extreme of course, I'm not getting involved in some Bonnie and Clyde deal -

“I'm sorry?” John asked, his face a mask of confusion. Lillianna shrugged. “I kinda figured you were into something sketchy with words like this. I don't care, I want in. I mean, not that I've got any experience with this, but -” She stopped as something occurred to her. “Can I see my words? I mean, if they're not somewhere that you'll get arrested for showing in public I mean.”

“I hate to disappoint you Lillianna, but I'm not your soulmate. I don't have any words.” He was so heartfelt in his apology that Sam almost believed him. “I'm sorry, I really am.”

Lilliannas’ face had fallen and she was doing her best to hide her disappointment, but Sam could see her eyes shining with unshed tears. “Fine. If that's everything, then I'll be back in a moment with your check.” 

She strode away, clearly upset and angry. Sam couldn't blame her.

"Let's get the hell out of here before she decides to come back and turn this into a scene." murmured John, leaving a fifty dollar note tucked under his plate. Mute, Sam nodded. As soon as they were standing, he grasped her hand in his and moved quickly, ducking through the crowded diner until they were out on the street. Once they were a few feet from the door Sam burst out "She's your -"

"Not here Sam." His voice was hard and made it clear he'd brook no argument from her. Annoyed, but knowing she'd get no more out of him on the topic until he was ready, Sam remained silent, only half listening to the radio as she stared unseeing out the window, the steady darkness only broken by the street lamps. She just didn't know what to think or feel any more. She couldn't believe that John had looked his soulmate straight in the eye and lied about his words, but she was terrified he'd decide to go back and find her. She wanted to meet her own soulmate and was jealous of the woman that was meant for her brother. She knew that they weren't meant to be together - and she knew there were so many reasons beyond the obvious that made their entire relationship so fucked up and the perfect fodder for a trashy tabloid or talk show, but she'd never wanted to spend her life with anyone else. 

Without thinking, she idly traced where the words were scribbled on her hip. She had no idea how she was going to meet her soulmate living this kind of life, but the words were a promise from the universe that her perfect match was out there and she was going to meet him. She couldn't imagine leaving John and it was even more unthinkable that he'd walk out on her for any reason, and yet...

The car remained silent. John hadn't spoken either, not even to tell her where they were headed this time and the atmosphere in the car was thick with tension. She needed to know what he was thinking, how he was feeling about it all so she could at least try and figure out how she felt about it all. 

Right now, she just felt numb. Her stomach felt hollow and there was the vague sense of needing to throw up. Her mind went round in circles, wondering if he was pleased that he'd at least met her, or regretting his stubbornness in insisting his soulmate didn't matter to him. Was he wishing that circumstances were different so he could at least have a chance to get to know her before making a decision about who he wanted to be with? Was he figuring out how to break it off gently? His poker face had always been good and since Olduvai it was impenetrable. There was only one time that he was unguarded around anyone, even her and in those moments he was extremely open about what he was thinking and feeling. She resented the hell out of him for it.

Sam had no idea how long they'd been on the road when John pulled into the exit lane. It could have been twenty minutes or four hours for all she knew. A quick check of the clock showed they had only been on the road for two and a half hours. She shot a surprised look in his direction - normally, they didn't even consider stopping this soon. Not enough distance between them and anyone who might remember them when asked by some nice men in expensive suits.

"I don't want to check in too late. That's the kind of shit that gets you remembered." He answered; making eye contact with her for the first time since they'd left the diner. It was a bullshit argument - the kind of places they were stayed in were the kind that made a point of not remembering their guests, but she let it slide. Being stuck in a motel room had to be to better than being stuck in a car. Hopefully someone had left a book behind and she could pretend to read in the bath for a few hours. If the universe was feeling kind, maybe they'd end up in a twin room instead of a queen or double.

She'd been right - the motel was a dive and fate hadn't been feeling kind. The rest of the rooms were empty, so the bored clerk decided to book them into the 'Executive suite' with its king sized bed and shower built for two. Normally, she'd have more than one suggestion regarding the hot tub in the corner of the bathroom, but tonight it did nothing to improve her mood at all. At least the couch looked comfortable. She wasn't sure she could stand to sleep next to John tonight, not knowing how he was feeling or what he was thinking. Not for the first time, Sam silently raged at UAC for putting them in this position and fucking with their lives again. 

John left to check out the grounds, something he always did. She supposed it was the RRTS training, always know your exit points or something like that. While he was gone, she changed into a pair of shorts and an old t-shirt to sleep in. 

There was a quick knock on the door before it swung open. John hesitated in the doorway, sensing her agitation. Sam looked up, crossed the room quickly and slapped him twice across the face without a word. It was a sign of how thick the mood in the room was that John didn't see it coming or do anything to stop her. Normally, he would've been able to grab her wrist before she even came close to making contact. Or maybe part of him knew how much she needed to do it. 

He looked at her in surprise, still unsure exactly what was going on and why, when Sam pushed him back against the wall, grabbed the front of his t-shirt and leaning up on her toes, kissed him. It wasn't the way she usually kissed him; there was nothing light or playful about it. This was demanding and hard, an act of possession, not affection. John wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her closer, his fingers sliding over the bare skin between her shorts and where her top had ridden up slightly to splay against her back. . Sam curled a hand around the back of his neck, biting at his lip and feeling a savage joy as he shuddered against her. 

Without so much as a grunt of warning, John lifted her, moving forwards slight so his back was pressed against the wall, instinctively her knees tightened to hold on just above his hips and she was supported by that and an arm around her waist, the other splayed in the middle of her back. Sam steadied herself with one hand on his shoulder, the other sliding into his hair to tug at the hair at the nape of his neck. When he got the hint, tilting his head up to look at her with curiosity, Sam lowered her head and kissed him.

His fingers pressed deeper into her skin as he pressed her even tighter against him. Some part of Sam knew that what she was doing was ridiculous, that they should be talking about this instead of using sex to try and deal with her jealousy. It was the other part of her in charge though, the part that wanted nothing more than to hear John gasping her name, to make him beg and plead until he finally lost control.

She mouthed at the spot just below his ear that she knew drove him crazy and was rewarded with a groan of appreciation. John pushed off the wall, standing up straight and still holding her in place against him, walked over to the bed and turned at the last second before sitting down so that she was straddling him. She ground against him and was gratified to find that he was already hard. She wanted to take control but she could feel the tension in him as he pulled her top over her head and knew that he was already struggling with self-restraint. 

Even so, she pushed him back on the bed, bracing her weight with a hand on each side of his head. John watched her intently, a slight trace of confusion in eyes that were burning with need. Sam just smiled down at him, enjoying having the upper hand for once. He reached for her and she twisted away, grabbing his wrists and pushing his hands back down to the mattress, knowing that he was allowing her to do it. There was a challenge in her eyes as she looked down at him and the confusion cleared as his mouth turned up in a smirk. Challenge accepted.

She took her time, exploring his body with her fingers and tongue, some part of her certain that this would be the last time she would ever be able to do this. She planted kisses across his skin, taking victory in the way he tensed at the press of her mouth in certain areas and listening to the gasps he made as she dragged her nails across others. She scraped her teeth over his hip and was rewarded as he arched up against her. Sam used everything she'd ever learn about what John liked in bed and used it to enslave him to her for the moment.

To give him credit, his hands remained where they were, clenched into fists, knuckles white. There was no doubt he was struggling and she was almost ashamed at how smug she felt about it. She only wished she could see his face - but the broken curses and desperate pitch that his voice had taken on was almost enough on its own. He was tense as a wire, trying to hold himself back, to let Sam do what she wanted with him, putting his own needs second for her. She loved him even more for it and kissed him, feeling him sigh against her lips. 

Feeling rather smug about the results of her efforts, Sam ran her hands slowly over the taut muscles of his arms and pushed her fingers against the base of his hand. John got the message and slowly released his grip on the blankets so she could link her fingers with his and tug gently, inviting him to sit back up. This had always been her favourite position to fool around in, pressed together with everything in easy reach of hands – and mouths, she was reminded as John slowly and very deliberately sucked a mark onto the top of her breast as his hands did something very enjoyable between her legs. 

It wasn't the first time he'd left her with marks. Since Olduvai, Sam had often found bruises in the shape of John's fingers and hands on her hips or thighs. She knew it that it wasn't intentional, just another side effect of the strength the C24 had gifted him with. It was, however the first time he'd purposely left her with a mark. He'd loved doing it when they were younger, leaving her skin marked in places that couldn't easily be hidden no matter how many times she'd told him not to. 

Now though, she understood why he'd done it and bit John's neck hard enough to make him grunt, one hand gripping her hair tightly at the base of her skull. She used her tongue to ease the sting, then sucked on the damp skin until she could taste blood. Only did Sam stop to look at her handiwork. It was dark for a moment, then quickly faded until there was no sign of it at all. 

Frustrated, she dipped her head again and doubled her effort as John did the same and despite her best intentions all she could do was breathe against his neck and clutch at his back as murmured in her ear. His fingers twisted inside her and the shift in pressure was enough to send her over the edge, biting down hard on his shoulder as her nails raked down his back. Sam shuddered against him, trying to steady her breathing as John awkwardly nuzzled at her shoulder. “Shit babe... I think you broke the skin there.” 

There was no mark when she lifted her head to check and the skin under her hands was smooth, from hips to shoulders. Tears of frustration welled in her eyes – she just wanted to leave some kind of mark on him. John tugged gently on her hair, forcing her to look at him. “Sam?” 

She didn't say anything – how the hell could she explain what she was thinking without sounding like a jealous idiot? Instead, she twisted away to try and hide her tears and of course the first she saw was the Grim Reaper tattoo, covering the words that had been spoken only a few short hours before. Sam didn't know if it was the way she flinched away or half sob that slipped out, but  
John was pulling her close, smoothing her hair away from her face and resting his forehead against hers. 

“Just because it's not visible, it doesn't mean you've left me unmarked Sam. This -” He touched his neck where she'd bitten him - “would fade. And this?” He held his arm up so the tattoo could be seen. “It's just words. They can be hidden, anyone could say them. They don't mean shit. But you? You've marked me Sam as yours, a long time ago. It can't be seen, but it won't fade, it can't be covered, I can't pretend it's not there.” 

Before she had a chance to reply, Sam was laying on her back, John hovering over her, kissing her so tenderly that it was almost enough to reassure her.

"Yours.” He whispered against her lips. “Always. Forever.”

He was gentler with her then than she could ever remember him being before. Selfish was never a word she would have used to describe John as a lover, but this was different. He worshipped her with his hands, revered her with his tongue and whispered words of love and devotion that would have been over the top in a romance novel, along with confessions of need and lust that were positively depraved. She was completely at his mercy and it didn’t take long till the tables had turned and it was Sam begging and cursing incoherently. It wasn't until she gasped that she needed him please, that he relented. 

John knelt on the bed resting his weight on his calves and pulled her forwards so that she was positioned over his lap with her feet on the bed. Slowly, he lowered her onto his dick, until he was buried deep inside her, Sams' arms around his neck as he held her ass for support. 

They remained still for a few long moments, just cherishing the intimacy and the almost cliché sense of togetherness. John shifted his weight slightly and the way he moved inside her brought a noise, high pitched and needy out of her. Something almost feral surfaced in John's eyes at the sound and for the first time, Sam understood why he was so worried about losing control with her. 

There was no slow build up, that time had long passed. All Sam could do now was use the leverage she had to try and keep pace with him, but John soon took full control, raising and lowering her in a brutal rhythm. All she could do was cling to him, desperately trying to stay grounded as he fucked her without mercy. Then her internal filter switched off and every thought that was running through her head came spilling out of her mouth. 

He looked shocked for a moment – he was far more likely to talk dirty than she was – and then used his weight to slam her down onto her back, lifting one of her legs up to his shoulder and pinning her hands next to her head. The new position was too much for her and she shattered around him, crying out wordlessly as her body finally found release. She'd barely started to come down when John reached between them and brushed his thumb over her clit and that was all it took to set her off again. He didn't stop there. Over and over, almost as soon she'd finished coming, there was that pressure and she was gone. Finally realizing that she couldn't take anymore of the exquisite agony he stopped, leaning down to kiss her on the mouth and whisper “I love you.”

Before she could answer, he'd gripped her hips hard enough to leave a bruise and if she'd thought he'd lost control before it was nothing compared to the way he was moving now. Completely spent, Sam could do nothing but talk him through. John definitely enjoyed listening to her talk dirty because it seemed that it was only seconds later that he gasped “Fuck... Sam..” and tensed before coming inside her.

He collapsed on top of her, crushing her for a second before she gave him a gentle shove and he rolled off her, pulling her into a tight embrace, heedless of the mess. He pressed kisses to her face and caressed her back. Thoroughly enjoying the attention, it was a few minutes before Sam sighed. “I need to shower.” 

“Do you really think you can walk to the shower right now?” John tried not to look too pleased with himself and failed miserably. Sam slapped him on the shoulder. “I don't think I'm going to be able to walk anywhere for days.”

“C'mon.” He rolled them off the bed, somehow managing to land them both on their feet and walked her into the bathroom. Sam was indeed unsteady on her feet, something she put down to simple exhaustion – it had been long, trying day even without the marathon sex. Deep down, she knew that the situation hadn't changed one little bit and they would have to address it sooner or later, but right now with the hot water beating down on her back, the pleasant ache all over and the way John was looking at her, later definitely seemed like a better idea than sooner.


	2. Chapter 2

They drifted aimlessly around the country for a few weeks, carefully trying not to draw attention to themselves. John had had the foresight to drain their bank accounts on the first day after Olduvai and she didn't know what he'd set up, but there was no lack of money. Sam dyed her hair as close back to her natural colour the same day and that paid off when the first description of them on the news described her a blonde. 

Under almost any other circumstances, driving around together, taking in the sights and being free to be together finally without pretense would have been perfect, if only she could shake the insecurity that meeting Johns soulmate had brought up. 

He hadn't mentioned her again and had rebuffed all of Sam's attempts to bring her up. But she knew, deep in her gut that Lillianna was on his mind. Three times now, they'd ended up within 50 miles of the little town that hosted the diner she worked at and both times, John had reacted as though he hadn't even known he was doing it. Like there was something pulling him back there and it made her stomach knot unpleasantly.

“You know we can't do this forever right?” John's voice soft against her ear, was the first to break the silence. They were standing at a look out while Sam admired the view. After so long cooped up on Olduvai, she didn't think she'd ever get enough of standing outside and just watching. The smells, the breeze, the wildlife... she didn't realize how much she'd missed it. She sighed, feeling perfectly content just breathing in the fresh air, with John's warmth at her back and his arms loose around her waist. “Why not?”

“Wouldn't you rather stay in the one place? Start building a new life?” 

“What, three bedrooms, a white picket fence, 2.5 kids and a dog called Spot?” Her voice was a lot more caustic than she'd intended it to be. Thankfully, John took it in stride. “I'd rather a tall hedge and some guard dogs.”

“What are you planning?” Sam had known it was coming. He'd looked a lot deeper in thought the last few days than usual, but she'd assumed that he was just trying to figure out what to do about his soulmate. It had to be on his mind, no matter what he'd said and done to reassure her. But now wasn't the time. There was silence behind her and she wondered just how bad the plan was. Twisting around to look at John, Sam discovered that he was watching a group of people standing by a tour bus. Some of them were looking in their direction. “It's nothing John. People are going to look at other people it doesn't mean they're going to call the police.”

“There's a price on our heads.” He reminded her, as a woman detached herself from the group and approached them. Sam felt John tense up as she came closer and her own stomach tightened unpleasantly. If she caused a scene, there was too many witnesses, nowhere for them to go. 

The woman was trying to look casual and failing, glancing nervously back over her shoulder. She stopped a few feet away. John didn't say anything, but looked towards her curiously.  
Something in his face must be encouraged the woman. “What is the equation of a dodo to a soup spider?”

Sam felt John relax and his voice was lighter than she'd heard it in a long time. “When all else fails, then trout.”

“I thought it was you. I'm Jaq. Grab your stuff, I'm taking you in.” She turned and started walking towards the lone car parked on the other side of the lot. Pressing a kiss to the top of Sam's head, John took her hand and moved to follow the woman. Sam stayed exactly where she was. When he looked back at her in confusion, she quietly asked “Are you sure we can trust her?” 

“Only a handful of people know that question and all of them are people I would trust with your life.” He tugged at her gently and Sam followed, knowing how high that praise was. He'd always valued her life more than his own. 

It was short work to empty their stolen car of their meagre belongings and move it into the trunk of the other car. They held a quick discussion about whether they should remove the plates or not and decided that they would take another few minutes to do it now that the lookout was empty. As John pointed out, they'd switched the plates on every car so far. If they kept these ones, then whoever was looking for them would be looking for those plates. 

John sat up front with Jaq, while Sam made herself comfortable in the back with a pillow and blanket that had been pulled out of the trunk for her. It wasn't late – barely even dusk yet – but she was exhausted. Knowing that someone else was on their side, it took some of the pressure off and between the movement of the car and the steady voices up front, it wasn't long before she fell asleep.

~~

When Sam opened her eyes, she was in a comfortable bed in a large room. The flowered wallpaper was her first clue that she wasn't in a motel room, the second was the smell. It was vanilla and cinnamon instead of that weird smell that cheap motels always seemed to have. The furniture was far too nice and clean to be motel furniture either.

Something wasn't quite right though. 

It took a few seconds to pinpoint it, but she was alone in the room. John had always been nearby when she'd woken up, seemingly to instinctively know that she didn't want to wake up on her own. There'd been too many mornings where she'd woken up alone. 

Before Sam could start to panic though, the door swung open and Jaq came in carrying a tray. “Hey you're awake.” 

“Where's John?” She demanded. She knew she had to be safe, otherwise he would never have left her alone. Jaq placed the tray on the bedside table. “Reaper's briefing some of the others on your situation.”

"Why aren't you with them then?" Sam eyed the coffee hopefully. Jaw smiled. "I heard most of it last night and Reaper asked me to keep an eye on you. He told me to tell you that he's not going anywhere. This is for you, go nuts on the coffee." 

Sam didn't need to be told twice, adding a dash of cream. She couldn't face the day without at least two strong cups. Jaq gestured to the armchair. "Mind if I sit or -?"

"Hmmm, go for it." The coffee was the best quality she'd had in a very very long time. Lately it had been the special mix of utter crap that you could only get in motel and cheap diners. On Olduvai, there'd only been one brand that could survive the trip through the Ark and it tasted like dirt. "So where am I exactly?" 

"This is Mermaid Waters. Officially, it's a private residence. Unofficially, it's a place for those who have nowhere else to go." Jaq picked up a magazine and started flipping through it casually. Sam recognized the action - she was dying for more information but knew it wasn't her place and was trying to distract herself. God knew she'd done the same thing more than once. 

"That doesn't tell me much." 

"It's not my place to tell you or else I would. I'm sure that once Reaper gets done with Beth and Ash, he'll fill you in on everything." 

She wanted to know just what John was telling Beth and Ash - whoever they were. Jaqs' answer had been no answer at all which would normally put her on edge, but John obviously knew who these people were and trusted them. For the moment, that was enough for her. 

Jaq chattered away as Sam ate,not bothered by a lack of response on Sams' part. Once she'd finished eating, Jaq put the magazine down. "There's some clothes that should be your size in the wardrobe and that door there is an en suite. If you want a change of clothes and a shower, it's all yours. " 

As much as she wanted a long soak in some hot water, still she hesitated. From the sound of it, John wouldn't be too much longer and she wanted to know exactly what was going on and where they were. Before she could answer though, Jaw placed a hand to her ear. "Yes?" 

It took Sam a few moments to realize that she was wearing an earpiece. "She's just finished eating. Uh-huh... uh-huh. I'll let her know." 

Jaqs' attention turned back to Sam. “He said that he's he'll be back soon, he just had to sort one last thing out. He also said that he'll explain everything after he's had something to eat." 

Sam nodded. "Thanks Jaq." 

The other woman shrugged. "It's what I'm here for. I have no idea what you guys have been through these last few months, but I'm glad we found you before they did." 

There was no doubt in Sam's mind who she meant by 'they' and if she hadn't been sure that they were among allies before, she was now. With a small smile, she draped a towel over her shoulder and headed for the shower. 

It was incredible, she thought a few minutes later as hot water beat down on her back, just how satisfying a good shower could be. The showers on Olduvai hadn't involved actual water and the showers in the motels had been horrendous. Part of her felt guilty for taking a longer than necessary shower, but Jaq had reassured her that she could stand under the spray for half an hour if she wanted to. 

By the time she'd had enough, her fingers had wrinkled and John was sitting up on the bed, studying the tablet in front of him. He tapped the screen a couple of times and then put it on the bedside table. “Feel better?” 

“I can't remember the last time I had shower like that.” Sam admitted., looking at the selection of clothing that had been provided for her. She settled on a light blue tank top and a pair of blank capri pants, concious of Johns eyes on her she dressed.

“So,” she started, settling onto the bed next to him. “Ready to fill me in? What is this place?” 

John leaned back against the headboard and studied her for a moment. “Have you heard the rumours of an underground anti-UAC group?” 

“Everyone has heard them. Some super underground bunch of activists that oppose everything UAC has done, will do and might consider doing in the future.” Her tone was both dismisive and scornful. “They hijack projects, have former employees in their ranks, protest every single thing they can and vow not to stop until UAC is just a distant memory.”

 

John looked amused. “Close. They think UAC need to be held accountable for their actions and errors, they have an impression collection of information that suggests there are a lot of actions they need to be held accountable for and they help both former and current employees with a target on their backs regain their freedom.” 

“Oh don't be so melo-” 

“Did you ever read your contract Sam? If it's the standard one, it involves non-disclosures, exclusivity clauses for after your employment with them ends and it's laid out in such vague terms that they could take you to court for even mentioning something like what brand of coffee is in the break rooms.” John raised an eyebrow at her, then continued. “Yours would've been more specific given your child prodigy status. Doesn't matter now, but there are reasons a group like this exists and trust me, it's not something that happens once every few years.” 

“How do you even know all this?” She demanded. As much as she wanted to protest what he was saying, she knew it was the truth. There'd been few rumours on Olduvai, being so carefully monitored and with security cameras everywhere but occasionally, something would get out and management would lose their minds for a week or two. “I've helped them out before.” He replied nonchalantly. “Beth – the woman who owns this place and runs the relocation section is an old friend of mine.” 

Sam knew that she should be focusing on the first part of what he'd said, but it was the last part she reacted to, pulling away to look him in the eyes and asking “Oh really?” in a voice that did nothing to hide the flare of jealousy. 

John chuckled. “Her fiance and I went through basic together. When she found out that I had nowhere to go on leave, she insisted he bring me with him. I've been showing up on her doorstep ever since. We're safe here Sam. We'll be able to rest, start putting a plan together -”

“A plan for what?” She was confused. It was a lot to take in at once. A safe place, learning that the rumours about the anti-UAC group were true and that John was on a first name basis with them? They could stay but they needed to make a plan? 

“A plan to live.” His face came alive. “A life of our choosing for once. No expectations, no name to live up to, no grand destiny to fulfill. A life where nobody knows who are or what our history is, except what we choose to tell them. For the first time Sam, we have choices. We could live the life we dreamt of when we were sixteen.” 

She couldn't speak for a moment. “We're free?” 

“As much as we'll ever be. We'll still have secrets to keep of course, but -” 

It was almost impossible to grasp. They hadn't truly had a choice in the direction their lives had taken. Born on Olduvai, then raised by a UAC assigned guardian after their parents accident. Nina had made it very clear that they were expected to repay the favour by working for UAC after their studies had finished. While they were both in accelerated learning programs, Sam had been ahead of John by several years and had already started working for UAC when he decided he wasn't going to repay a favour that he hadn't asked for. They never talked about the fact that his decision came shortly after she was transferred to Olduvai. 

Doing anything except hiding their relationship had always been out of the question.y

But now... now they had the opportunity to share a life together, one where they didn't have to hide their love for each other. It was something they'd talked about in bed when Nina was working late, they'd dreamt of it, they'd hoped for it and they'd always known it was out of the question. 

“It can't be that easy can it?” 

John put his arm around her and pulled her against him. “I wouldn't call what we've been through to get here easy Samantha.” 

“I never thought -” She couldn't finish the sentence, like saying it out loud would jinx it. It was juvenile she knew, but god she wanted it so badly. Sam could hear the grin in John's voice. “Me either. It's going to take some time. We need back stories, Beth needs to be able to make our histories check out as much as possible. It takes some time to become someone new. But we'll need to find a house or a flat, so start thinking about where you'd like to live.” 

“What's as far as possible from Lillianna and her diner as it's possible to get?” 

The words were out before she could stop herself. John pulled away and looked at her, his head tilted to the side slightly. “Where'd that come from?” 

“Don't think I didn't notice how many times we ended up heading back in that direction over the last few weeks.” Sam hadn't planned for that to come out either. It seemed that she wasn't really made for repressing her emotions. John sighed, rubbing his hand over his face. “Do you really want to do this now?” 

“May as well get it all out in the open.” She answered quietly. “Look, I haven't forgotten what you said that night and I know you meant it. But don't think I didn't notice how many times we found ourselves heading back in that direction.” 

“I don't want her Sam. That should be enough for you.”  
I  
“With any other woman it would be. But this, this is your soulmate John. How would you feel if it was mine we'd bumped into?” 

“I'd want to kill him.” He admitted, sounding a little ashamed of himself. “But if there is anyone who can love you more than I do and make you happier than I can, it'll be him. It'll hurt, but if you decide he's who you want...” 

“I won't.” Sam replied firmly. “I don't want anyone else. And don't change the subject.” 

“Fine. It was like I was being pulled in that direction. I didn't even realise where we were headed until we were an hour or so away. I can't explain it any more than that. It's almost like there was some kind of compass, leading me back to her.” John didn't look at her as he said it, as though he was afraid of her reaction. “But I have waited too fucking long to be with you and I'm not going to let some so called destiny take that away from me. So if where you want to live is as far away from that goddamned diner as we can get, we'll figure out where it is and start house hunting. I don't care where are, as long as I've got you with me.” 

“What about that pull though? How do I know I won't wake up one morning and find you've gone and left me a note?” 

He cupped her face in his hands and brought his forehead to rest against hers. “Because I am never leaving your side again. I swear to you, if you ever find yourself alone in this world without an explanation, it's because I had no choice. There's nowhere I'd rather be than with you.”

At that moment, with his mouth on hers as he gently pressed her back into the mattress, Sam couldn't think of anywhere she'd prefer to be either.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so, so sorry for the delay between chapters. My NaNo WriMo project ended up just becoming a writing project and life kicked my butt for a while. Thanks for your patience and I promise it won't be this long between chapters again.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> John has an idea, Sam learns a few things and they receive an offer of help from an unexpected source.

Sam hadn't realized how exhausting being on the move constantly was until she was able to stop and do nothing. If John wasn't with her, he made sure that she knew where he was and that someone was around. Those assigned to keep her company didn't push for information about why they were, keeping conversations light and making sure that Sam knew that she was safe at Mermaid Waters. She appreciated the effort and it took almost a week of doing nothing but eating and sleeping for her body and mind to start healing. 

If she was being honest with herself, then she would've been content to stay there forever. There was just something about the place that gave Sam a sense of peace that she hadn't experienced before. All her life, there'd be expectations heaped on her, by her parents, by professors, by their guardian, by her superiors and co-workers at UAC. Here, the only thing that was expected of her was that she rest and recuperate. 

She was reading in the sunroom when John came and sat on edge of the divan she was laying on. 'It's not a cottage with a white picket fence, but how would you feel about a secluded cabin backing into a small lake, surrounded by woods and the nearest township 25 miles away?'

'You've had an idea.' The description niggled at her a little, like she should know where he was talking about. John pulled her feet into his lap and started rubbing her bare calves. 'I have. But I need to go talk to someone first. I'll be gone all day, maybe overnight.'

'Overnight?' John had been busy around the place, making a small dent in what they owed Beth and her group by helping out where he could. Some days she didn't see him until he fell into bed next to her late at night. But Sam always knew he was nearby if she needed him. The thought of him being away for the whole day made her stomach clench in fear.

'I thought you'd feel like that. You can come if you want to.'

And just like that, she relaxed again. 'Who are you going to visit?'

'Grandpa.' John looked at her like it should mean something to her.

“Grandpa?” Sam repeated in shock. “But we haven't heard from him in years! He's gotta be at least eighty by now, we can't drag him into -

“Sam.” His voice was sharp. 'Trust me. He has that cabin remember? We spent a few months there after Mom and Dad... I don't know if it will pan out, but it's a start if you're interested. And it's seven hours away from that diner if that helps.'

It did help, along with the realization that he never mentioned the small town, the diner or the woman that wore his words by name. Neither did she, but that was to try and keep them as undefined as possible so they would remain concepts instead of a real place and a living breathing woman who would be waiting forever to meet her soulmate. Perhaps he was doing it for the same reasons and her skin itched to know the truth.

'So, should I go talk to him?'

She didn't like the idea. Their grandfather had always been kind to them, even though he hadn't ever really been present in their lives. Sam didn't want to drag someone of his age in to this mess and how could John be so certain they could trust him anyway? There was also the thought that if they left Mermaid Waters now, something would happen and they'd end up on the run again.

'It's just a suggestion Sam.' John was watching her closely. 'We'll leave tomorrow morning and be back less in 24 hours. 

'I guess it can't hurt.' She answered slowly. His smile was brief, but it was real. 'We'll be fine, just wait and see.'

~~

'Why do you get to drive?' Complained Beth, kicking the back of the drivers seat. 'I thought you wanted me to come along to help break up the driving.'

'No, I wanted you to come along so that if we get caught, you can act like I'm holding you both hostages.' John clarified, sounding amused. Sams' head whipped towards him. He hasn't told her that part. Without taking his eyes off the road, he reaches over and patted her leg. 'It'll be fine. If anything happens - and it won't- just follow Beth's lead.'

Not for the first time, Sam wondered about what kind of history they had that would lead to John putting so much faith in his friend. There was obviously a story there, but she didn't think now was the time. Then again, they were stuck in the car for another three hours....

'So how do you guys know each other?'

'What you didn't tell her?'

'No.'

The story wasn't much more than what John had explained to her, that he & her fiancée had meet in basic training and Beth had taken him under his wing. But Beth added more detail and told it with a merciless sense of humour that not only made fun of John but of herself as well.

That lead, naturally enough to the pair of them reminiscing. The stories, when told by Beth had Sam in stitches of laughter, but through it all she couldn't help but feeling like she should have been there, that she had thrown the opportunity away.

'So how does your husband deal with what you do at Mermaid Waters? If he's still with the military it must be a conflict of interest for him?' Sam asked at one point. John froze and Beth's smile faded. 'Lethal died on a training mission about eight years ago.'

She felt wretched. 'Oh I'm so sorry. I had no idea -'

'It's fine, you didn't know.' Beth's voice was kind but Sam would never forget the flash of pain in her eyes. 'He was killed in a training mission eight years ago.'

'On Olduvai.' Johns voice was sharp. Sam could see the set of his jaw. 'Why don't you tell her about it Beth?'

'C'mon Reaper.' Beth shot her a sympathetic look. 'I think Sam has seen more than enough evidence first hand about why UAC is evil.'

'Beth used to be an investigative reporter.' John informed her when it became clear Beth wasn't going to say anything. 'She stumbled across some irregularities between what was stated in a UAC press release and what was documented and started to investigate further. Word got back to UAC somehow.'

'It wasn't a surprise, I wasn't being very subtle about it.' Beth murmured. 'Anyway, while I was trying to find out why the discrepancies, Lethal got leave. He was killed in a car accident. The car exploded and caught fire, there was no chance of survival. The police said drugs or alcohol, but that was a lie. He hadn't been drinking that night.'

'How can you be certain?' Sam hates asking the question, but had to anyway. John glanced at her triumphantly. 'Because we were with him. None of us had touched a drop that night.'

'I'm sure they were after me.' Beth sounded calm but when Sam twisted around in the seat to look at her, the pain in her face was evident. 'I won't bore you with the details, but one path of investigation lead to another and now, I'm part of a network that helps people avoid having a target on their back.'

Silence fell in the car. Sam could hardly process what she'd been told. Was it really possible that UAC, the company that she'd proudly worked for could do such thing? She didn't want to believe it. But at the same time, she remembered what John had told her about her contract, the whispers in the sleeping quarters and the people who had been reassigned and never heard from again. She buried her face in her hands and took a deep breath to try and steady herself.

'Hey.' A hand touched her shoulder. 'You were on Mars. The flow of information was controlled and there's no way you could have known anything about any of this. Don't beat yourself up Samantha.'

She didn't say a word, but covered the hand with her own in a gesture of appreciation, even managing to crack a smile when Beth's voice turned harsh. 'Jesus Reaper, I told you she didn't need to hear this.'  
John didn't answer and Sam had a brief urge to punch him even as she caught the sound of Beth kicking his the back of his seat again.

The rest of the drive passed easily enough. Beth told them about some of the people she'd worked with in the past, John told a few stories about his time in RRTS and even thought her stomach was in knots about what Beth at told her and at seeing her grandfather again, Sam shared a few of the pranks that got pulled in the labs. One of them had Beth pulling out her tablet and asking for the exact formula and Sam pitied the poor person she decided to use that one.

They pulled up at a California bungalows in what appeared to be a nice middle class suburb. Sam felt the old stab of resentment - she'd always wished they could live in a neighborhood like this one. John had other things on his mind than old dreams whispered in bed late at night though.

'No signks of life. Few cars in driveways so it doesn't look like anyone will see us.' He unbuckled his seat-belt. 'I'll head in, talk to him fora moment, make sure very thing is okay on his end.'

'What if he doesn't want us here?' Sam asked anxiously. John shrugged. 'We'll work it out. Wait here.'

'Be safe!' She called but it was lost in the slamming of the car door. The two women watched as John approaches the front of the house, acting casual and after a quick knock, let himself in. Once the door closed behind him, Beth climbed over the seats to take position behind the wheel.

'In case we need to leave in a hurry.' She explained in answered to Sams' unasked question. Beth drummed her fingers on the steering wheel for a moment as she studied the neighborhood. 'I was with him you know. When Reaper got his words covered. I've seen him make many impulsive decisions in his life but that wasn't one of them.'

'I never thought it was.' Sam replies quietly.

'Do you know what someone has to go through to get their words covered? There's counseling, a waiting period, more consoling, paperwork. I know he met her, but I also know that he's never been more certain of anything than he is that you're the one he wants.'

'He's talked to you about this then?' For some reason that pissed Sam off. She'd truggles with it on her own so long, their relationship and what it meant for their soul mates and what would happen.

“I've known Reaper a long time. I'm pretty sure he's got less walls up with me than he does with most people. When he talks, I listen. And I remember. I've pieced together a few things, but there's still so many pieces missing.”

“I suppose you want me to fill the gaps?” Sam asked, a little uncertainly. Beth shook her head. “Not all. If Reaper wanted me to know, he'd tell me. But I've heard some things. The girl he left behind. The girl who left him behind. The girl he loved beyond all reason and the girl he hated with a burning passion. The girl he couldn't live without and the girl he could never have.”

“That's a lot of girls.' Sam struggled to keep her voice steady.

Beth raised an eyebrow at her. 'You know as well as I do that's it's the one woman. We both know who it is.'

'Is this a shovel talk?'

'No. You don't need a shovel talk.' Beth pushed her hair back off her fave. 'What I'm trying to say - not very well - is Reaper loves you. He's only ever wanted you. So cut him some slack on the whole soulmate thing. It's not his fault.” 

The knock on the window made them both jump. John stood out there, gesturing at her to get out of the car. As she unbuckled her seatbelt, Beth pointed to herself, but he shook his head and signaled something that made no sense to Sam. Beth sighed and slumped back against the drivers seat.

Silently, John led Sam up the path and into the house. The first thing she noticed about it was how impersonal it was. There were decorations but where most walls would be covered in photos of family, there was nothing. It made her sad, to see no sign of the long and full life that had been lived by her grandfatherand a part of her wondered if where ever she and John ended up living would be the same.

'Samantha.' She could hear the smile in her grandfathers voice. 'I'm so pleased that you're both okay.'

'I think okay is relative.' John replies dryly. He looked genuinely pleased to see their grandfather again. William Cooper only looked vaguely familiar to Sam, but she hadn't seen him since her going away party before she'd left for Olduvai and it had been a long ten years. John seemed comfortable around him though. Sam didn't know why, he hadn't been a regular presence in their lives. They sat on the couch, which felt new and unused. It gave Sam the impression that he didn't get many visitors.

“Are you kids holding up okay?' He looked from Sam to John.

'None of what they're reporting is true.' John said immediately. 'It didn't go down anything like that.'

'If I thought it had, I would've called someone while you were in the bathroom.” He replied dryly. 'I'm ex-CIA kid, I know that there's the truth and the truth. Especially when it comes to UAC. Is there anything I can do to help you out?'

Sam leaned back against the couch as John gave a brief outline of their plan so far, their grandfather nodding as he spoke. 'You want to know if you can use the cabin.'

'Yes.' Johns voice was solemn. 'But only if it won't draw attention to you.'

He fell silent for a moment, eyes on a painting of a jungle scene. 'Did you know that my twin brother lived there for a few years when he was released from prison?'

'No.' Sam had no idea where he was going with this, hadn't even know her grandfather had a brother. She could feel the curiosity coming off John.

“Nobody knew Kirill was my brother, we managed to keep that hidden. It was different back then, DNA testing was expensive & time consuming and wasn't used all that often. Nobody ever expected me to help him disappear.” William huffed a laugh. 'He stayed there for three years, until I was able to tell him that there were higher priorities for the CIA than a former FSS assassin.”

'You don't do what I did if you don't know how to cover your tracks kid.' The ghost of a grin crossed his face. 'The cabin is all yours, as long as you need it. There's a few people in town you can trust not to give you up, but maintain your cover anyway. I'll contact an old friend, let him know that the someone's moving in again. Anything in specific I need to tell him?'

Sam felt like crying. She hadn't even been sure that he would be willing to help, let alone that it would be this easy. Glancing at John, she saw that he was chewing on his bottom lip, a nervous habit from childhood. William looked from one to the other, not missing the sudden tension that had sprung up. 'What's going on?'

'Well,' John dragged the word out. 'We figured that people would be looking for a brother and sister duo. So, uh, we've been posing as newlyweds on a road trip in a lot of places. We check into a double room and then I sleep on the floor or the couch. I know you trust your friend but maybe it's better if we stick with that story.'

Their grandfather raised his eyebrows at that, Sam bracing herself for his reaction but all he did was nod approvingly. 'There'll be an instant disconnect. People don't see what's right in front of their eyes most of the time and they'll be looking for the pair splashed all over the news. Good thinking kids. But what if they ask about the lack of public displays of affection?'

'Hand holding, arms around the waist, hugging are no big deal,but anything more than that and Sam gets uncomfortable.'

'What about the separate bedrooms?'

'He snores.' Sam replied immediately, glad to be able to contribute something finally. 'It keeps me awake at night.'

William grinned at her. 'So when are you having children?'

'I can't have kids.' She countered. That one was simple. She'd learnt quickly that telling people she couldn't have kids was a lot easier than telling them she didn't want them. Even John looked impressed with how comfortable she was with the lie.

The questions continued. Most of them were easily answered. The questions about family tripped them up though.

'Weave a bit of truth into it.' advised their grandfather. 'You're not close to your extended families. You haven't seen your siblings for years. 'I'd prefer not to talk about it' is a perfectly valid answer. Try and avoid giving details that can be checked out.'

'Thank you for all your help.' Johns voice was full of the emotion he usually didn't show many people. 'You have no idea how much easier this will make things.” 

William sighed, leaning back in his seat. “I learned the hard way just how precious family is. Kirill, for all he'd done was still my brother. You kids are my grandchildren. I know I haven't been around much for either of you, especially after your grandmother passed away but I wouldn't be able to sleep at night if I let you face this alone. If there's anything, anything at I can do to help you kids out, don't hesitate to ask.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi *waves* I'm a bit surprised by the attention this has gotten, so thank you all for your patience between chapters. Just a few things to mention
> 
> 1\. Given an incredible lack of canon information, I've gone over all available sources for info - which admittedly, is only the movie itself, the novelization of the movie and the original script. What canon details I can use, I will.  
> 2\. Since there's a lack of canon, I'm using a LOT of headcanons. Some of them are common (for this fandom anyway) others are borderline crack.  
> 3\. Yup, I totally wrote in William Cooper as John & Sam's grandfather. A slightly cracky idea I had a while ago and couldn;t shake. (The William-Kirill twins separated at birth is a favourite of mine.)  
> 4\. I also wanted to mention that this won't be leading into Reaper!Bones territory. I'm not opposed to the idea, but there's already more than enough fics out there. So if you're hoping for that, I'm sorry. 
> 
> This chapter was written on my phone (no I'm not joking and only quickly edited before posting, so if you spot any mistakes, please let me know so I can fix it up. 
> 
> I'm over on tumblr as Mercury32 - feel free to come chat!


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so, so, so sorry for delay in posting. I had this chapter almost finished back in October and since then life has thrown one thing at me after another. The last of those are almost dealt with and my schedule now has two extra days free, so hopefully updates will be coming a lot more regularly. I can promise though that there will never be a gap like this one again.

The drive itself was uneventful. The plan had been for them to travel in convoy, but between traffic, bathroom breaks and Beth spending far longer than necessary flirting with the cashier at one of the rest stops, the truck full of boxes that John was driving was soon out of sight and the women settled in for the long drive.

The conversation flowed easily enough, light and inconsequential to start, then onto deeper things, what life on Olduvai was like, how Beth managed to build the network that helped her make people disappear. Sam answered her as honestly as possible – some parts of life up there were impossible to explain. Eventually, once things got too heavy and they both found themselves drifting into thoughtful silences, they started switching it up, playing games of truth or dare, the Alphabet Game and then cycling back to light conversation.

Sam laughed harder than she had in a long time at some of the things Beth was saying. In the few months they'd been staying with her, she'd come to like the other woman and would miss her company when she left them.

At the same time though she was looking forwards to it. This was the stuff of dreams, of whispered conversations in bed late at night After everything they'd been through, after all the reasons they'd never have it, a place of their own tucked away from the rest of the world where they could just be together was almost like a reward from the universe for their live lasting through all the trials and tribulations that had been thrown at them. Sam almost felt guilty for being so excited.

Finally, they pulled off the highway, then off the main road. Signposts pointed to campgrounds and to bed and breakfasts and a large one pointing to 'Lakeside'

'That's the nearest town.' Beth said as they drove past. 'It's a nice enough little place, nothing special. Schools, shops, take away, all the basics.'

Sam nodded without thinking. She knew they'd have to become part of the community while keeping to themselves as much as possible, but not enough to raise suspicion. John had said they'd figure it out once they'd unpacked and she was more than happy to put it off till then.

Beth pulled onto a dirt road, cursing out loud at the potential damage the bumpy road was doing to her car. It was another half hour until she pulled into a driveway, almost invisible in the greenery that lined the side of the track and after a few sharp turns, the lake house stood before them.

Sam couldn't hold back the grin. Now that she saw the old double story cabin, she remembered sitting out in the clearing with her grandmother, talking about what where they were going to live from now. She'd wanted to stay there, continue being home schooled like they had on Olduvai but her grandmother had explained that soon she and John would need more education than homeschooling could provide.

Beth was uncharacteristically silent as they pulled up in front of the garage, a modern addition that stood out like a sore thumb. Sam unbuckled her seat and moved to open the door, but Beth held up a hand. 'Let's wait till Reaper gets here.'

'Are you serious?' Sam questioned her in exasperation. 'I don't think anyone followed us.'

'No disrespect to Reapers grandfather but it's been a long time since he was active. Who knows where his contacts loyalties lie? Besides, he should have been here before us.' Beth drummed her fingers on the steering wheel of the car and they waited in tense silence until the moving van pulled in. The rush of relief at Johns arrival was immediately washed away by the sheriff truck that was right behind him.

'Shit.' Murmured Beth, dropping her head to the steering wheel. Sam didn't say anything, twisting around to watch her brother as he jumped out of the moving van and strode towards her, ignoring the cop.

God, was it all over already? She should have known it was too good to be true. Things like this just didn't happen to her, not without a price to pay.

John knocked on the window. 'Aren't you sick of being in the car?'

'The cop?' She mouthed. He rolled his eyes. 'Where did you think we were getting the keys from?'

Already wound up and tense, the simple fact that she'd forgotten about needing the keys to the house was just too much for Sam. She gasped back a sob as her eyes welled up with tears.

Before she knew what was happening, John was pulling her out of the car. She buried her face in his chest sobbed uncontrollably as he stroked her back and hair whispering reassurance and comfort.

After she'd calmed a little, John cupped her face in his hands and kissed her forehead. 'Are you okay?'

Not trusting herself to speak without crying again, she nodded. To his credit, John didn't pull away, just pulled her head down on his shoulder and kept up his calming attentions. 'I'm sorry, she's been through a lot in the past few months.'

'Of course, of course.' An unfamiliar male voice said. 'I don't know what you kids are mixed up in, but I do know that if Cooper said you needed to lay low a while, then it's pretty serious.'

'It is.' John didn't explain any further. The sheriffs' tone turned conversational. 'I tell ya, when you walked into the room I thought I was looking at a ghost. You look exactly like Cooper did at that age.'

'The Cooper genes are pretty strong I guess. You're not the first person to tell me that, Sheriff Price.' He kept his voice light, but Sam tensed slightly at the knowledge that the Sheriff had even pieced that much together. John dropped a reassuring kiss on the top of her head as the sheriff chuckled. 'Relax kids. If I was meant to know, Cooper would've told me. Ignorance is bliss, you know what I'm saying?'

'Ours is not to reason why?'

'Exactly.' She could hear the smile on the sheriffs' voice. 'Now if your wife has composed herself, I'll unlock for you and give you a rundown of what to expect around here.'

Sam didn't even wait for John to check that she was okay, but stepped away from his comforting warmth, wiping at her eyes. 'I'm sorry.'

'There's nothing to be sorry for.' Price reassured her. 'Let's go in shall we?”

She clasped Johns handed and nodded as Beth approached them silently. She'd almost forgotten the other woman was even there and was grateful that she'd taken a step back while Sam had her breakdown. Price unlocked the front door and stood back, letting the twins go in first.

Sam gasped in appreciation as she went through the foyer and into the living room. The timber walls wwerea rich red colour, the furniture over-sized and cushy looking and the floorboards looked freshly polished. One wall was lined with bookshelves, another held a wall mounted television and opposite the entryway was a fireplace with a huge fur rug in front of it.

'Well?' Asked the sheriff. 'What do you think?”

'It's beautiful.' She replied honestly. Olduvai had been high tech and utilitarian, the hotels since then were dives. She could barely remember the apartment that they'd lived with their guardian Nina, but that had been spartan too. It had been a place to live but never a home. The cabin, however, was already starting to feel like home.

It was John who noticed first. “There's no dust. And this furniture looks new.”

“Surprise!” Sheriff Prices' grin got even wider. “Cooper paid the bills. He wanted you kids to be comfortable, said you'd both been through some pretty heavy shit and didn't want either of you to have to worry about setting up a home.”

“My god.” Breathed Sam. “We'll never be able to thank you enough for this.”

“Oh, I owe you kids. My wife has had a field day picking out furniture and appliances.” He winked at them. “There's a casserole in the fridge and some ready to heat meals in the freezer.”

Sam could only shake her head in disbelief. The thought that these people, who barely knew her were prepared to go so far to help them out... It was astounding. John looked equally taken aback. “I don't know how to begin paying you back.”

“Come around for Sunday roast. I'm betting it's been a while.” He checked his watch, pressing a few buttons. “Damn, it's later than I thought, so I'll make this quick. I don't know why you kids are here and I don't really care. You'll need to establish yourself as part of the community though, hiding out here and talking to nobody will only draw attention to yourselves. Come to the school fairs, the fundraisers, be seen around town and before too long, you'll be considered one of the locals and trust me, this town looks after their own. Got it?”

“Got it.” chorused John and Sam in unison. He pressed another button on his watch. “I'll drop by every few days. Utilities are off the grid, phone and internet are scrambled through a VPN. Sometimes, the old ways are the best. You're pretty secure out here.” He fished his keys out of his pockets. “Sorry to cut it short like this, but I really do have to run. Welcome to the rest of your lives, kids.”

John moved to walk him out, but Price waved a hand at him. “I'll talk to you later. Give me a call if there's anything you need.”

And with that, he was gone. Sam looked at Beth. “Did you know anything about this?”

Beth shook her head. “Not a clue. I just came out to help you guys get set up and check the place out. If it wasn't such a long drive, I'd head back now since everything is all sorted out. Mind if I explore the house?”

“Go for it.” Sam was looking forwards to exploring herself but wanted to wait for John, who'd vanished to explore the fridge. When he came back, though, he was more interested in other things than checking out the rest of the house. Once the casserole was reheating, he pulled Sam against him, hands on her hips. She tried not to smile. “Really?”

“No. I just wanted to touch you and make sure this isn't some crazy dream.”

She did smile at that. “It's real. All of it. You and me, living together tucked away from the world. Like we always dreamed about. It's getting late. Let's get the boxes out of the truck and we'll dump them in the lounge till tomorrow. Then dinner.”

“Sounds like a plan to me.' John kissed her briefly. “That's why you're the brains and I'm the brawn.”

It didn't take long to unload the truck; they hadn't had that much to bring. Clothes, some linen, basic household needs, books and a game console that had been Beth's gift to John. It was all that they had in the world and even though there wasn't a lot, Sam thought it was symbolic of the life they'd once had, when they'd had nothing but each other.

'Chows up!' Sam was just dropping the last bag of clothing in the bedroom she'd chosen for them when Johns shout came through clearly. Sam filed that away - it was good to know that she'd be able to hear him no matter where in the house they were.

She was still grinning when she sat down at the table, a delicious smelling bowl of panade in front of her. John caught the look on her face immediately. 'What are you so pleased about?'

'I found our bedroom.' She informed him, picking up her spoon. He raised an eyebrow at her. 'Oh?”

'It's on the smallish side, but it has a few features I just couldn't say no to. You're going to love it.” And that was all she would say on the matter, her stomach grumbling as she realised how long it had been since she'd had a proper home cook meal. The food at Mermaid Waters had been good but with at least a dozen people to feed at any time, the meals had been chosen more for their ability to feed groups.

'This is amazing.' Beth's moan of enjoyment had John raising his eyebrows & Sam biting back a smirk until she realised something. 'We're going to have to learn how to cook.'

'I can cook!' John protested, glaring at her over the top of his spoon. Beth laughed outright. 'Making something edible out of rations is not cooking.'

Sam had something else on her mind. 'Do you think we can do it? Be involved in the community while keeping to ourselves?'

'Yeah, it'll be easy.' Beth shrugged once she's finished a mouthful of food. 'It's the same advice I give everyone starting a new life. Spend money in the community, offer your time and tell them nothing about yourselves except the basics. Just don't act like you have anything to hide.'”

Sam shot a look at John. They'd been hiding their relationship from other people since they were sixteen. How odd to think that was the one thing they could be honest about. He flashed her a quick smirk like he knew what she was thinking.

They passed the rest of the meal easily, talking comfortably in the way that only those who have been through intense experiences together can. Slowly, it began to fully sink that this was the end of the road and that with a little luck, this really would be the first day of the rest of the rest of their lives.

Before they knew it, it had gotten late. Beth was the first to start yawning. 'I better get some sleep. Long drive home tomorrow. I'll probably be gone by the time you guys get out of bed.'

'Thank you for everything.' John looked like he would've hugged her if he was the hugging kind. Beth ignored his hesitation and squeezed him tightly. 'You know I'd do anything for you. It's just lucky that what I do was exactly what you guys needed. If there's anything, anything at all you need in the future, please don't t hesitate to get in contact.'

'We can never repay what you've done for us.'

'Bullshit.' Beth's eyes were sad. 'You kept me going when my soulmate died. Nobody else gave me even a fraction of the support you did. This is me repaying a debt, not doing you a favour.'

John pursed his lips but nodded. Beth squeezed his hand again and then pulled Sam into a tight hug. 'Look after him. He's got a tough shell, but he's just a big gooey marshmallow on the inside.'

'Always.' Sam promised her quietly. She was going to miss the other woman and the companionship she'd provided over the last few months. 'If there's anything either of us can do, just say the word.'

'I will.' Beth promised. Sams' guy told her it was an empty promise. After everything Beth had done to keep them safe and off the radar, one if the last things she'd do was pull them out of hiding for any reason. There was that awkward moment of hesitation that goes with any reluctant parting, then Beth smiled a little sadly and headed for the spare room.

“Come to bed Samantha.” Johns' voice was low in her ear and full of promise. She knew that he was thinking about the same thing that she was, so when he took her by the hand and lead her upstairs, she went willingly. He stepped back to let her open the door, his hands on her hips as he followed her through and Sam knew the exact moment he realised that he could see their reflections in the floor to ceiling mirror that made up one of the panels in the walk in robe. When he finally spoke, his voice was thick with longing and desire. “ _Fuck_. Oh fuck.”

Without waiting for Sam to say anything, John watched their reflections as he kissed the spot just below her ear, hands sliding around her waist. His voice was hoarse as he informed her “One day soon you and I are going to do some seriously depraved things in front of that mirror.”

“Not tonight?” Sam teased him, stomach tightening in anticipation. One hand slid up under her t-shirt as he hooked a thumb into the waist band of her leggings with the other. “You don't have the energy for what I'm planning to do in front of that mirror.”

It wasn't a challenge, just a statement of fact and she knew that he was right. John loved to watch her face during sex, which meant that certain positions no matter how much they both enjoyed them were off the table. A mirror opposite the bed was a fantasy come true for him – and she was tired.“Are you trying to tell me you don't want sex?”

“I could be on my deathbed and still want you.” He said half-seriously. “You know I love it when you're on top.”

His eyes still on the mirror, he pulled the neck of her t-shirt aside and kissed her shoulder. Sam shivered and felt John grin against her skin. “I've always loved how strongly you react to me.”

She tried not to give him what he was looking for as he spider walked his fingers down her stomach and slid them into her pants, watching as the cotton stretched to accommodate him. Shit, he was right – that was fucking hot. His fingers pressed against her through her underpants and Sam moaned, eyes fluttering shut.

“Open your eyes. Watch.” John commanded, sliding his hand past the elastic and over her clit. She bucked against his hand at the touch and he responded by grinding against her back, showing her how hard he was already. “That's it baby. Christ...”

He pressed his fingers into her easily, grinding the heel of his hand against her clit as he set a rhythm that she knew she wouldn't be able to hold out against for long. John's voice was low in her ear the whole time, telling her how much he was looking forwards to watching her face as he fucked her from behind. Sam closed her eyes again, focusing on the sensations building within her.

“ _Watch_ damn you.” Her eyes met his in the mirror and her stomach jolted as she realized just how much he was getting off on this. It was enough to tip her over the edge, fingernails digging into his arms as she gave herself over, focusing on his face because even in her state, the idea of watching herself come was too much for her.

He supported her weight afterwards, peppering kisses along her neck and shoulder. Once her legs were steady again, Sam turned around to face him, her hands on his belt buckle. Before she could do anything though, his hands were on hers. “No.”

“No?” She repeated incredulously. She had felt how hard he was. Surely – oh. Sam tilted her head to the side, trying not to smirk. “Did you -”

“In my pants like I was 16 all over again.” He confirmed ruefully, kissing her hard and deep. Even though he'd come as well, she could tell he wasn't entirely satisfied. “Are you sure you don't want -”

Next minute he'd scooped her up bridal style and dumped her unceremoniously on the bed which was every bit as comfortable as it looked on first inspection. “I'm sure. I'll go clean up and you can make it up to me another time. Get some sleep Samantha, tomorrow is the first day of the rest of our lives.”

Sam was asleep before she could tell him that she didn't think it was going to be that easy.

 


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, I'm so sorry for how long it's taken me to post this. I really struggled with this chapter and rewrote it four or five times before it reached a place where I was happy with it. Hopefully, from here it will be a lot smoother sailing. I do promise that I will never give up on this - it's something I had in mind for a long time before I started writing it and it's quite important to me that I finish it.

They'd been living in Riverside for almost five months the first time John woke up screaming. 

Life had been good up till then. Knowing the Prices had smoothed their acceptance in ways neither of them could believe. They'd attended a lot of community events, first with the Prices and then on their own as they got to know more people. Being a small town there had naturally a lot of gossip about them, but it seemed to die down quickly. 

Sam had never been so social in her life. Her teens had been spent studying and being ignored by her classmates. After that, she walked straight into a job at UAC where most of her social interaction had been peppered with discussions about papers and verifying results and eyeballing the new recruits. She'd never learned how to just hang out. 

She was learning though. Mrs. Price had invited her to the various groups she was a part of - weekly walks, the craft circle, the book club, even to one of the preschool events. Sam had protested at the last one, not being a parent and not even knowing any of the families yet, let alone being close to them. Mrs. Price had just smiled and said it was for fundraising and she'd really be helping out the preschool by coming along. Sam had hated every second of being around so many children at once, but it had been a great way to meet people and it had made her look good. Slowly, she was coming out of a shell she hadn't realized that she'd been in. 

John had bonded with the men almost instantly. He'd cautiously admitted to being ex-military, fending off any questions by simply saying he didn't want to talk about it. Surprisingly, that had been enough to get them to stop asking. It was a matter of respect, John had told her later. They respected his service and as far as they were concerned, if he didn't want to go into any details then he had a good reason for it. Sam didn't quite understand at the time but let it slide. 

He'd taken to joining the Sheriff and others for the weekly football get together, declaring his love for his team and sticking to it even though they were in the midst of one of the worst losing streaks in history. There was usually a barbecue after the game where the wives and kids came around and everyone drank far too much except for them. Even though it seemed to be physically impossible for John to get drunk, occasionally he slurred his words and deliberately tripped over his own feet to give the illusion of being affected by the amount of beer he'd had to drink. Sam always played along, complaining about how isolated they were and he'd have to sleep in the car if he passed out on the drive home because she wasn't carrying him inside. 

Tonight though, she was grateful they had no close neighbors. John's screaming echoed through the house and seemed to rattle the windows. 

It lasted less than a few seconds, ending with him sitting bolt upright in bed supporting his weight on his hands. He started at Sam intently for a few seconds, then pulled her to sit on his lap, clinging to her and burying his face in her neck. "Fuck." 

"I got you." She whispered, stroking his hair and smoothing her hands over his back and shoulders. "I got you. We're safe. You're safe. I'm safe."

“You're safe.” He repeated shakily. 

"Fuck." 

They stayed quiet for a while, Sam letting John take the time to reassure himself that she was real, that she was alive and unhurt. She didn't know how long had passed when he spoke again, his voice a lot calmer but still full of emotion. "I didn't get to you in time. Sarge... I wasn't quick enough." 

"I'm here right now because you were." 

"He would've..." John trailed off, seemingly unable to finish the sentence. He didn't have to. Sam knew that if he hadn't arrived when he did, Sarge would have killed her. Whether it was the influence of the Imps or his own sadistic nature coming out when he wouldn't have to face the consequences, she didn't know. 

"I know. But you found me. You stopped him. You were enough. More than enough. John, please..." 

He closed his eyes for a moment, cupping her face in his hands. "It was just a nightmare." 

"It was." 

"I can't lose you." 

"You won't." 

"If something happens -" 

"It won't," Sam spoke confidently. "We've got the Prices with their ear to the ground and half the town thinks we're the ultimate love story, a marked woman falling in love with an unmarked man and throwing it all away to be together. Nobody here is going to give us up. They're good people here." 

"I thought my squad were good people." John looked away from her. "Goat, Sarge... Even Portman. He was a dick, but I would have bet my life that they were all good men."

"Just because they turned doesn't mean they weren't good people. Maybe something deep inside of them, that they didn't know was there just got unlocked.” Sam remembered the tongue that had launched itself at her and Duke. She'd never told John about that. The knowledge that it chose who to infect and that it had killed Duke, not turned him... the implications terrified her. 

John didn't answer and before she could think of anything to say, John heaved a sigh "I suppose I'd better get up. Price is picking me up at four for the hunting trip. No point going back to sleep now." 

"Do you think you should go?" Sam wondered whether being around guns again had triggered the nightmare. He shrugged. "It doesn't matter what I want to do. Pulling out now will just lead to so many questions. The real problem is holding back and missing enough shots so I don't raise any suspicion." 

"Be careful," She said, meaning it in more ways than one. John nodded. "I've put a lot of thought into this babe. I wouldn't have agreed to go if I didn't think I could pull it off." Gently, he moved her so she was laying in the bed again. "Go back to sleep. I'll only be gone a couple of days, if you need anything, just call Mrs. Price. She'll help you out." 

Sam nodded, biting back a yawn. She wasn't worried about being left on her own. The town had taken them under its wing and she knew that if something out of the ordinary were to happen while John was gone, there was a contingency plan in place. Not for the first time, she wondered about the Prices who had so calmly accepted them and brought them into the fold. God, maybe everyone in town was hiding out from someone. 

The thought stayed with her as she tidied the house and - for lack of anything else to do - curled up outside to watch the scenery Never in her life had she had as much time to herself as she did now. Sam loved it most of the time, once she'd gotten used to not being on a demanding schedule. 

Sure, she had the weekly groups she'd joined - John had nearly fallen off the couch laughing when she'd first attempted knitting - and spent most of Saturday tutoring high school students in whatever they needed help with, but it was something she chose to do. She didn't have to wait for approval or get formed signed to able to do it. No funding was needed and she sure as hell didn't have to kiss anyone's ass for it. And the best part of all was that she got to spend as much time with John as she wanted. After ten years of not seeing each other, being together nearly every minute of the day was like a gift. 

It was a weird kind of freedom. 

Part of her wanted to write it all down, keep a record of the sleepy holiday town that had taken in two strangers and made them one of their own. To tell the story of the people that treated them like family, who never asked questions and let her live the life she'd dreamed of when she was a teenager. It was far too dangerous Sam knew, but it made her feel sad that the people who had given them so much would never know just what they had done for her. 

Since they'd arrived, they'd learned that the town was busy twice a year, during the summer and winter holidays. There were camp-grounds near the lake and when the weather was clear, it was filled with campers. Even though most of them preferred to take the freeway to the larger town for supplies, there was still enough traffic into town for Sheriff Price to warn them to be careful. 

Being alone was a totally new experience for her. John had always been around and when he wasn't, she was on Olduvai where privacy was something of a luxury. Since then, she'd barely left John's side. It was an odd feeling – Sam didn't mind being on her own, but she couldn't quite adjust to the idea that John wasn't nearby. 

It was mid morning on the fourth day when he got home. Before she could finish greeting him, Johns' hands were on her waist, backing her against the counter and kissing her hard. She tried not to laugh when he pulled away. "Miss me?" 

"Fuck. You've got no idea. I managed ten years without you and now I can't even cope two nights." His hands slid under her tee. "I had to talk myself out of running home, fucking you senseless and then heading back to camp before it got light. And the only reason I didn't is that if someone had gotten up to take a piss over night they would have noticed I was gone." 

Sam started laughing, the noise dying in her throat when she saw how serious he was. "You're kidding me." 

John pressed against her. She wasn't sure whether she was amused or impressed to find that he was already hard. "I need you, Sam. I don't know if it's the C24 fucking with my libido or if this is just how it is between us now, but I have dreamt of you for the last three nights and I swear to god, if I'm not inside you soon, I'm gonna lose my fucking mind." 

It wasn't romantic or sexy, but her body responded to the blunt way John laid out his need for her. Her fingers tightened on his arms. "John..." 

Before she could even finish, his mouth was on hers again, his hands moving across her skin in the exact way that drove her crazy. Sam understood. This was about satisfying a craving and there'd time later for tenderness. "I am not having sex with you on the kitchen counter." 

"Couch." he declared, lifting her against him and carrying her over to the couch, coming with her when he lowered her down onto the soft cushion. She ground against him and he swore, responding with a movement of his own that had her gasping. "Fuck Sam..." 

His fingers hooked into the waistband of the leggings she was wearing and she nodded, knowing that even if it killed him, John would wait until she was ready.

"For Christ sake, you don't need to check in every step of the way," Sam told him, wondering how the hell he'd gotten naked so quickly. Given how quickly he got her clothes off, she must have seriously underestimated his impatience. 

He entered her in one smooth motion and just stopped, closing his eyes and exhaling slowly. “Fuck. You can't imagine how badly I've been craving this. I could stay buried in you like this forever. We were made to be together babe, fuck the words trying to tell us otherwise.” 

He shifted his weight to one arm and traced the lines of her face reverently. It wasn't the first time he'd spoken to her like this when he was horny as fuck, but this time she saw something dark and primitive swirling behind his eyes. His thumb dragged over her bottom lip and she sucked it into her mouth, watching his face darken. She reached up, pulling him down for a kiss and whispered against his mouth “Take what you need.” 

“I..” The slightest shiver ran through him, so small that she would have missed it if they hadn't been pressed so closely together. Either he'd thought he'd hidden it from her or he hadn't been aware that he'd wanted it. “I can't.” 

“You just said we were made for each other. You're not going to hurt me, so let me give you this.” The look he gave her was a combination of pain and hope, something she hadn't seen on his face in over a decade. “I'm yours, body and soul. Use me as you need to and give into it.”

“Christ Samantha...” A shudder ran through him. Sam spoke quietly, her breath against his ear. “Damnit John, just fuck me already.” 

They were the last coherent words out of her mouth for some time. 

 

~~

A few weekends later, Sam found herself being given the third degree by two sixteen-year-olds about her soul mark.

She'd taken up tutoring the local middle and high school students so that she'd be able to contribute something back to the town and to add something to break up the week. To her surprise, she found she enjoyed it. Briony and Morgan had asked for her help with a social studies project. Sam knew that if she'd known the topic was soul marks and soulmates, she probably would have found a way out of it. 

“Yes, I'm serious. I don't think that the marks are a guarantee of anything.” Sam told Morgan who listened in rapt attention as he scribbled notes on a pad of paper. Across the room, Briony was looking at John the same way, although Sam suspected it had more to do with a crush than what he was actually saying. Resisting the urge to eavesdrop was proving harder than she expected. “I think a lot of people get caught up in the fairy tale romance of it all without considering any variables.” 

“What kind of variables?” Morgan asked, flipping to a new page in his notebook. Sam liked him. He had an analytical mind and she could easily see him in ten years time, studying data and seeing patterns that few others could or asking questions that didn't occur to anyone else. Just the fact that he'd contacted her for help with the assignment showed that he already knew how to think outside the box. Maybe it was just that he reminded her of John at a similar age. 

They continued to discuss the idea of soulmates and the pros and cons and Morgan shyly showed her the loopy script on his calf that asked 'Hey baby you got any fries to go with that shake?' No wonder the poor kid always wore long pants. God, what had his parents thought? 

“So you don't think that -”, 

“No! Absolutely not! It's out of the question!” John stood up so abruptly that he knocked his chair over. 

"Is everything okay?" 

"I just asked if I could take a photo of his tattoo to use as an example of what a cover up might look like." Bri sounded indignant. Morgan passed his hand over his eyes. "Jesus Bri." 

John and Sam's eyes met. They knew that part of getting a cover up was a record of the covering tattoo. It was a long shot, but if any connection was ever made.... 

"I am so sorry." Morgan apologized to them both. "There's a lot of rumours about you guys and I guess Bri just thought... " He shot his classmate an exasperated look. "I don't know what she thought." 

"There's a lot of people out there with cover ups." Sam's tried to keep her voice gentle to try and counter the pissed off look on John's face. "Probably best of contacting one of them."

Bri nodded silently, her focus on the floor. Sam felt sorry for the poor kid. John was furious and there was no way a teenager would be able to stand against that. She looked elaborately at the clock. “We should probably go. We're catching up with someone this afternoon and this has already run longer than I planned for.” 

“Sorry about that.” Morgan apologized. “But thank you so much for your time, both of you. I've got heaps of information that I can use.” 

“If you need any more, just let me know,” Sam told him. She looked at Bri. “Same time on Wednesday for our usual session?”

“Sure.” She still didn't look up. With the looks at that John and Morgan were still giving her, Sam wasn't surprised. 

John had barely shut the truck door behind before he let it out. “That fucking stupid little bi -” 

“Hey!” Sam cut him off sharply. “She's a kid. A kid with a crush. She doesn't know and she had no idea what she was really asking. Back off.”

“If -” 

“But it didn't happen. Back off.” 

He grit his teeth and went silent as he pulled out onto the road. Sam had a feeling he was as mad at himself as he was at Briony. Whether it was for letting his guard down or the way he'd reacted to the question, she had no idea. Probably both. Even though it had come to nothing and hadn't been intended as a threat, it would do them both good to remember that even though they felt safe, they shouldn't assume there were no dangers in Riverside. Eventually, John sighed. “Does Briony seriously have a crush on me?” 

“Most of the females in town have a crush on you,” Sam replied dryly. “Some of the guys too. You haven't noticed?” 

“Why would I?” He sounded mystified. She tried not to laugh. “Just apologise to her at some point okay? And tell me about Gabe. I could swear the first time that you brought him up was when you told me there were plans for a BBQ.”

“That's because it was. It's Gabes' land that we went hunting on. He doesn't always join in but he always makes sure that the group has everything we need. You're going to like him. Sharp sense of humour, intelligent and studies ancient history for fun.”

“You like him,” Sam observed. John nodded. “He's a good guy. And I think you met his girlfriend Ella at the market.” 

“Oh, she had the home-made soap stall!” She couldn't help but think of the conversation they'd had the morning before he'd left for his last hunting trip and smiled. He glanced at her, a small smile crossing his face as well. “Look at us. Actually making friends and fitting in.”  
“So how come I've never met him before?” She wondered out loud. John laughed outright. “We've only been in town a few months. Riverside might be a small town, but the community is spread far and wide. We haven't met even close to a quarter of the people who are living out in the woods like us. Besides, I got the impression that Gabe's trying to keep under the radar so I didn't dig any further.” 

“Hmmm, fair enough.” It just added weight to her theory about Riverside being some kind of safe haven. Too many histories had unexplained gaps and there were moments in conversations that seemed fraught with tension for no apparent reason. 

Gabes' place was with more remote than theirs, further from town, deeper in heavier woods. It wouldn't take much for him and Ella to be cut out off completely for an extended period and based on what John had told her, it wouldn't bother either of them one little bit. 

Ella greeted them at the door with a smile. Sam had met her before, but only briefly at the market and never long enough to do more than exchange pleasantries. As they were lead through the house, Sam couldn't help but notice how impersonal the house seemed – it reminded her of her grandfathers' house. It was a red flag and she made a mental note to start personalising the lake house as soon as possible. 

Out in the entertaining area, Gabe was trying in vain to get the last pole into a tent. Sam had no idea why he was setting it up, but John and Ella were acting like it was a completely normal thing for him to be doing so she didn't say a word. After another minute of struggling, Gabe realised that the section he was trying to get the pole into was broken. Cursing, he dropped the pole on the ground and only then did he notice that they were there, shrugging apologetically. “Some things were designed to be crap.” 

“Are you sure it's not user error?” Sam had a hundred memories of watching colleagues and classmates trying to assemble furniture. 

Several things happened at once. 

Gabe stared at her, wide eyed and opened mouthed as Ella whirled to face her, snarling “What the fuck did you just say?” 

But it wasn't until the hand that he been resting casually on her waist dropped to her hip and her brother snarled like something she'd had recurring nightmares about that Sam fully understood that she'd just met her soulmate.


End file.
